Joan Rivers series starring Kathryn Hahn nixed at Showtime

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

The new Joan Rivers series starring Kathryn Hahn is no longer happening at Showtime.

Variety initially reported last month that the WandaVision star was set to play the late comedienne in The Comeback Girl, but now the outlet reports that the producers did not secure the rights to move forward with the project.

Rivers’ life rights are currently held by her daughter, Melissa Rivers. Variety reports that the series could have proceeded as an “unauthorized” project but they wouldn’t have been able to use any of Rivers’ jokes or catchphrases. Proceeding in that way also likely would have drawn ire from Rivers’ estate.

Melissa Rivers’ spokesperson tells Variety that there are currently no plans for any biographical projects on her mother. Joan Rivers died in 2014 at age 81.

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